Oklahoma doesn’t screen for dyslexia, the most common learning disability. But, a bill to change that is now waiting on the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
House Bill 2804 would require dyslexia screening for students reading below grade level in Kindergarten through third grade.
The measure breezed through the Senate Wednesday after previously passing in the House. It now goes to Governor Kevin Stitt.
People with dyslexia often have trouble with word recognition, spelling and phonics. But because of a general lack of support and screening, it often goes unrecognized. Experts say screening and identification go a long way to helping a child read.
“Early screening for this disorder is a game-changer for struggling students,” House Majority Leader Mike Sanders, R-Kingfisher, said. “Research is clear that when students with dyslexia are identified early and supported, they quickly catch up to their peers in reading and other academic subjects. This changes their trajectory in school and improves their lives in immeasurable ways.”
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